DORSET has been named as the least affordable place in the South West for families looking for their own homes, with houses costing almost 15 times the average income.

A new report from the National Housing Federation says the county’s average house last year cost £262,332, compared with an average income of £17,909. Even homes in the cheapest quartile cost an average of £175,000.

The worst ratio in Dorset was in Christchurch, where the average house cost more than 19 times the average income. Second was East Dorset, with 16.2, and third Poole, with just under 15.

Purbeck – which has the highest proportion of second homes in Dorset at seven per cent – had an average house price of £258,169 and the highest average income at £20,488, giving it a ratio of 12.6.

Bournemouth was the most affordable area of the county, with average house prices of 12 times average income. It has nearly four per cent second homes and Christchurch more than three per cent.

The report says more than 14,000 families are now on waiting lists for social housing in the county, an 84 per cent increase in the last five years.

And it points out that younger people are increasingly priced out of communities in country areas. On average, rural homes cost more than 13 times local incomes, compared to 11.6 in towns.

Cllr Alan Griffith, leader of Christchurch council, said: “Affordable housing has been one of our top priorities for the last eight years.

“We have built or purchased 166 affordable rental or shared ownership units in the last five years and invested a quarter of a million pounds a year for the last four years.

“We are working on reviewing our affordable housing criteria so that we can get the best deal possible out of any future housing scheme in the borough.

“Land is expensive because there isn’t much of it. The added pressure is people moving into Christchurch from out of the area. Once they’re here, they tend to stay.

“We’re losing people between the ages of 18 and 35 because they can’t afford to buy. There isn’t sufficient money coming from the government.”

Mr Griffith wants the government to allow councils to impose restrictions, such as only allowing some properties to be bought by under-30s, or by people already resident in the area.

“The problem is so severe in this and other areas that if we can’t build houses, we have to look at more creative ways of providing homes for young people,” he added.